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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Today’s Video: Mind over matter

Could paralyzed individuals soon be able to walk with the help of a unique robot-like suit? This may be a reality in the next few years thanks to the breakthroughs in neurotechnology by Brazilian scientist Miguel Nicolelis. He appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" on Tuesday and discussed the amazing work he does:

Nicolelis' ambition is not confined solely to the laboratory; he was recruited by the Brazilian government to help create a "City of the Brain" in Natal that could become a major scientific research center. Earlier this month Nicolelis was named as the head of a public "future commission" with the aim of promoting science in Brazil.

Speaking of scientific breakthroughs, Colombia's Manuel Elkin Patarroyo announced this week that he found a method for developing synthetic vaccines. This finding by Patarroyo, who in 1986 created an anti-malaria vaccine, could lead to vaccines that "can cover virtually all the 517 infectious diseases."Online Sources - uv10.com, Terra Brasil, Colombia Reports, AFPVideo Source - Comedy Central